


The Landscape After Cruelty

by Hecate



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Triple Drabble
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-15
Updated: 2019-07-15
Packaged: 2020-06-24 02:51:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19714777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hecate/pseuds/Hecate
Summary: Steve and Tony after Thanos' first death.





	The Landscape After Cruelty

**Author's Note:**

  * For [dreamkist](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamkist/gifts).



They kill Thanos. Nothing changes. 

Nobody speaks on the way home, the universe passing them by in minutes, strange and emptier than it's supposed to be. Steve thinks of Tony then, thinks of him slowly dying in space with a stranger by his side. It's a terrible thought.

He should have been there.

Earth looks unchanged from above, terrifyingly beautiful, and for a moment Steve pretends that it's whole, too. That everybody is waiting for them.

But he sees the crashed cars as they swoop lower, the ruins of planes. Looks away and closes his eyes until they land. Walks into the compound. His steps echo.

The arc reactor is where Steve left it, strangely flimsy now Tony doesn't wear it. Breakable. He tries not to think about that, tries not to remember. Walks away from the arc reactor, walks to Tony's bed instead.

Tony, who is breakable, too.

Steve stands still, watches Tony, counts every breath he takes. Knows that Tony is alive, that he has made it home. A part of him doesn’t quite believe it. He crawls into the bed, bends his body around Tony’s. 

He imagines himself as a wall, a promise of safety. Whispers, “I’m sorry,” and means Siberia, means the battle they lost, means the boy Tony couldn’t bring home. Leans in and presses a kiss on Tony’s forehead. Says, “It wasn’t your fault.”

Steve gets up slowly.

There is still so much work to do. 

Tony's eyes are open.

“Steve,” Tony says, and there is a grief in his voice, there is anger fading into pain.

“Yeah,” Steve answers and steps closer. Sees something new on Tony’s face then, something that once was familiar.

Crawls back into the bed and curls up next to Tony. Presses close. Rests. Beneath his palm, Tony’s heartbeat.


End file.
